Method of supplying and discharging pressurized fluid

Abstract

When supplying pressurized oil from a first port ( 51 ) to a second port ( 78 ), first, a pallet ( 2 ) is lowered to a table ( 1 ). And a first stop member ( 45 ) of a socket ( 21 ) is brought into butting contact with a second stop member ( 67 ) of a plug ( 22 ), thereby forming a contact gap (B) between the second stop member ( 67 ) and a check member ( 72 ) within a check valve chamber ( 70 ) of the plug ( 22 ). Next, the pallet ( 2 ) is fixed to the table ( 1 ) by a locking device ( 3 ). Subsequently, the pressurized oil at the first port ( 51 ) is supplied to the second port ( 78 ) via the check valve chamber ( 70 ) and thereafter is discharged to an exterior area.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A method of supplying and discharging pressurized fluid, the method including a first block ( 1 ) which has a first coupling ( 21 ) and a first supply and discharge port ( 51 ), a second block ( 2 ) which has a second coupling ( 22 ) and a second supply and discharge port ( 78 ), and a locking means ( 3 ) which is switched over between a locking condition (X) and an unlocking condition (Y) so as to fix and unfix the first block ( 1 ) and the second block ( 2 ) to each other, 
       the first coupling ( 21 ) having a first stop member ( 45 ) within a first flow passage ( 44 ),  
       the second coupling ( 22 ) having a second stop member ( 67 ) within a second flow passage ( 66 ), a check valve seat ( 71 ), a check member ( 72 ) within a check valve chamber ( 70 ), and a resilient member ( 73 ) which urges the check member ( 72 ) toward the check valve seat ( 71 ),  
       the method further including an actuation means ( 59 ) which forcedly opens the check member ( 72 ) against the resilient member ( 73 ),  
       when supplying pressurized fluid from the first supply and discharge port ( 51 ) to the second supply and discharge port ( 78 ), the method comprising the steps of:  
       first, bringing the first block ( 1 ) and the second block ( 2 ) closer mutually to thereby hermetically communicate the first flow passage ( 44 ) with the second flow passage ( 66 ) and bringing the first stop member ( 45 ) into butting contact with the second stop member ( 67 ) to form a contact gap (B) between the second stop member ( 67 ) in that butting contact state, and the check member ( 72 );  
       next, switching over the locking means ( 3 ) to the locking condition (X) to thereby fix the first block ( 1 ) and the second block ( 2 ) to each other, in that state, supplying pressurized fluid to the first supply and discharge port ( 51 ) to thereby supply the pressurized fluid to the second supply and discharge port ( 78 ) through the first flow passage ( 44 ), the second flow passage ( 66 ), an interior area of the check valve seat ( 71 ) and the check valve chamber ( 70 ); subsequently bringing the check member ( 72 ) into closing contact with the check valve seat ( 71 ) through an urging force of the resilient member ( 73 ); and  
       thereafter, discharging the pressurized fluid at the first supply and discharge port ( 51 ) to an exterior area and switching over the locking means ( 3 ) from the locking condition (X) to the unlocking condition (Y) to thereby separate the first block ( 1 ) and the second block ( 2 ) from each other,  
       contrary to the above, when discharging the pressurized fluid supplied to the second supply and discharge port ( 78 ) to the first supply and discharge port ( 51 ), the method comprising the steps of:  
       first, bringing the first block ( 1 ) and the second block ( 2 ) closer mutually to thereby hermetically communicate the first flow passage ( 44 ) with the second flow passage ( 66 ) and bringing the first stop member ( 45 ) into butting contact with the second stop member ( 67 );  
       next, switching over the locking means ( 3 ) to the locking condition (X) to thereby fix the first block ( 1 ) and the second block ( 2 ) to each other, in that state, separating the check member ( 72 ) from the check valve seat ( 71 ) by the actuation means ( 59 ) through the first stop member ( 45 ) and the second stop member ( 67 ) in the mentioned order to thereby discharge the pressurized fluid at the second supply and discharge port ( 78 ) to the first supply and discharge port ( 51 ) through the check valve chamber ( 70 ), the interior area of the check valve seat ( 71 ), the second flow passage ( 66 ) and the first flow passage ( 44 ); and  
       thereafter, switching over the locking means ( 3 ) from the locking condition (X) to the unlocking condition (Y) to thereby separate the first block ( 1 ) and the second block ( 2 ) from each other.  
     
     
       2. The method as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the actuation means ( 59 ) includes a piston ( 54 ) which faces the first stop member ( 45 ), and an actuation chamber ( 56 ), 
       when supplying the pressurized fluid from the first supply and discharge port ( 51 ) to the second supply and discharge port ( 78 ), the method comprising the steps of:  
       first, supplying to the actuation chamber ( 56 ), pressurized fluid for forced valve-opening to thereby separate the check member ( 72 ) from the check valve seat ( 71 ) through the piston ( 54 ), the first stop member ( 45 ) and the second stop member ( 67 ) and supplying the pressurized fluid at the first supply and discharge port ( 51 ) to the second supply and discharge port ( 78 ); and  
       thereafter, discharging the pressurized fluid for forced valve-opening within the actuation chamber ( 56 ) to the exterior area and then discharging the pressurized fluid at the first supply and discharge port ( 51 ) to the exterior area.